I sat down with writer Eleanor Fair to find out more about Dicey Company coming to The Libra Theatre Cafe this October.

Can you tell me a little about your show and what audiences can expect?

Dicey Company is a brand new musical about a group of friends playing a game called Mortality and Monsters, but specifically it’s about a group of women and non-binary people getting to experience the joys of community and fantasy where the Tabletop Roleplay community often leaves them behind. Audiences can expect a show packed with new original music telling a dramatic fantasy story, as well as friendship and possible romance!

What drew you to this specific story?

Writing this story actually came from a specific moment, then working outward. I wanted to write a song about a person dealing with an anxiety attack, and imagined outward a scenario that might feel trivial to some but especially heartwrenching for one that would elicit the kind of spiralling thoughts one gets from an anxiety attack.

So I came up with this character who’s trying to step outside her comfort zone by playing Dungeons and Dragons (D&D), only to be tricked in the game and feel just as confused and small as she did outside the game. Thus Opal was born, and from there more topics of interest arose, like the gender disparity in mainstream Actual Play media, or the importance of community, or the questions of flirting in-game. What started as one person’s story turned into five, and one song into ten, and this is only the second production! I can’t wait to see what the story becomes as it keeps growing. 

What has been the biggest challenge in bringing this production to life?

Balancing gaming references with creative freedom when writing and portraying a game similar to Dungeons and Dragons has been a frequent challenge for the show.

Though the inspiration is specifically Dungeons and Dragons, we didn’t want to get too bogged down in the thousands of rules and existing IP, but still wanted those who play to feel the love we have for the game. Fantasy is a large and complex genre, so many things aren’t specific to D&D, allowing us creative freedom with spell names and character types, but we still wanted to include winks for D&D veterans to show our love and appreciation of the game. 

How does the design of your show (set, sound, or lighting) impact the presentation of your story?

The theatrical design is a perfect opportunity to build the bridge between the imaginative elements players commit to during a tabletop roleplay game and the theatrical experience itself, showing the audience just how it feels to play the game. In this production, we utilise lighting and sound to show the fantastical elements of the game, the spells, the danger, the ambience of a crowded tavern, inviting the audience into the story like players themselves. 

If you could sum up the show in one word or phrase, what would it be and why?

“A musical adventure and community for the women and nonbinary players of Table-Top Roleplay Games”

This is the story’s core. It’s celebrating a group of people in a community that doesn’t always centre them, but also lets you know we do that through music and excitement.

Dicey Company runs at The Libra Theatre Cafe, London, on 6 – 7 October. Tickets available at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/dicey-company-tickets-2000579831129?aff=ebdssbdestsearch